David Mechanic, Director, Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research at Rutgers University, details the trends in behavioral health over the last several decades and shows the continuing problems in providing appropriate access to care, continuity of services and evidence-based treatments, especially for persons with severe and persistent behavioral disorders. Emphasis focuses on the role of the non-specialty medical sector that now provides most medications, often without careful patent evaluation or adherence to evidence-based standards. (#28233)